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THE  WAITING  SAVIOUE. 


KEY.  E.  N.  KIRK,  D  D. 


BOSTON: 
THE  AMEBIC  AN  TRACT  SOCIETY; 

Instituted  1S14. 

DEPOSITOEIES,  28  COKNIIILL,  EOSTOX,  AND   13  BIBLE   HOUSE, 

ASTOE  PLACE,  NEW  TOBK. 


i 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1865,  by 

THE  AMEHICAIN  TKACT  SOCIETY, 
In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  tlic  District  Court  for  the  District  of 

Massachusetts. 


THE  WAITING  SAVIOUE. 


"  BEHOLD  I  STAND  AT  THE  DOOR  Ain>  KNOCK.  IB- 
ANY  MAN  HEAR  MT  VOICE,  AND  OPEN  THE  DOOR, 
I  -WILL  COME  IN  TO  HIM,  AND  "WILL  SUP  WITH 
HIM,  AND  HE  WITH  ME."  —  ReV.  iii.  20. 

HAT  beautiful  scene  lias  been 
sketched  by  a  painter.  He  rep- 
resents the  door  of  the  human 
heart  by  the  door  of  a  humble 
cottage.  And  the  Saviour  stands 
with  his  ear  inclined  toward  the  door, 
with  his  right  hand  raised,  as  if  he 
had  just  been  knocking,  and  were 
now  listening  to  discover  if  any  one 


4  THE    WAITING  SAVIOUR. 

within  was  moving  to  admit  and  wel- 
come him. 

But  when  did  this  occur  ?  Was  it 
many  centuries  ago  ?  Yes  ;  and  to- 
day, this  moment,  it  is  repeated, 
while  you  are  thinking  about  it.  And 
it  is  nothing  less  than  your  own 
heart  that  is  described.  Let  us  first 
inquire, 

WHO    IS   IT   THAT   KXOCKS  ? 

In  turning  to  the  first  three  chap- 
ters of  Revelation,  you  will  perceive 
that  it  is  the  Son  of  God  who  is  here 
addressing  man.  It  is  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  who  stands  at  the  door  knock- 
ing. Oh  that  the  Spirit  of  God  may 
unseal  our  eyes,  that  we  may  look 


WHO   IS  IT   THAT   KNOCKS?  5 

upon  tlie  siglit,  upon  tliis  glorious 
being  in  such  an  attitude  of  conde- 
scension and  kindness ! 

If  it  were  an  earthly  scene,  some 
distinguished  man  who  had  driven  to 
our  humble  door  with  his  magnificent 
horses  and  equipage,  some  monarch  or 
prince,  we  could  see  it  plainly,  and 
feel  the  honor  very  deeply.  But  it 
is  the  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of 
lords,  even  the  only-begotten  son  of 
the  Most  High.  We  see  the  Maker 
of  the  worlds  stooping  to  visit  man, 
seeking  an  entrance  into  his  heart; 
which  means  that  he  desires  to  be 
loved  and  trusted  by  us.  The  pres- 
ence of  no  king  at  a  beggar's  door, 
of  no  angel  or  archangel,  could  be  so 


6  THE    WAITING  SAVIOUR. 

wonderful.  It  is  the  very  King  of 
heaven,  whom  the  angels  adore.  And, 
in  order  to  approach  so  near  to  us, 
he  became  man.  It  is  the  incarnate 
Son  of  God  seeking  admittance  to 
our  hearts.  It  is  the  crucified  Sa- 
viour who  took  the  title  "  Lamb  of 
God,"  because  he  was  to  be  slain  as 
a  propitiatory  sacrifice  for  our  re- 
demption. 

It  is  this  wonderful  Being,  who, 
having  become  ii^an,  and  having  died 
for  us,  rose  from  the  grave,  ascended 
to  heaven,  and  is  forever  seated  at 
the  right  hand  of  the  Eternal  Majesty  ; 
the  being  who  will  raise  tlie  dead  at 
the  last  day,  and  sit  upon  his  great 
white  throne  to  judge  the  nations  of 


WHO  IS  IT   THAT  KKOCKb  ?  7 

men, — welcoming  tlie  righteous  to 
heaven,  and  banishing  the  ungodly 
from  his  father's  presence  for  ever. 
This  is  he  who  will  for  ever  be  the 
acknowledged  Redeemer  of  all  the 
inhabitants  of  heaven.  Even  when 
walking  unknown  and  despised  on 
earth,  twelve  legions  of  angelic  beings 
would  have  rushed  from  the  heaven- 
ly courts,  and  drawn  their  flaming 
swords  in  his  defense,  if  ho  had  per- 
mitted them. 

We  can  not  get  our  mind  too  in- 
tently fixed  on  Him  —  his  wonderful 
nature  as  God  and  man,  his  majesty 
and  holiness,  his  condescension  and 
tender  love.  He  is  God ;  as  a  Son, 
he  ho,s  the  nature  and  properties  of 


8  THE    WAITING   SAVIOUR. 

his  Father.  And  he  is  true  and  prop- 
er man ;  the  only  truly  perfect  man 
since  Adam  fell. 

Look  at  him  standing  at  the  door 
of  a  human  heart,  at  the  door  of 
your  heart,  knocking !  And  as  you 
gaze  upon  the  scene,  ask  this  ques- 
tion : 

■\ynAT  BRINGS  nm  there  ? 

The  answer  is  —  he  loves  you  ;  not 
admires  you;  nor  thinks  you  to  be 
good  enough  to  please  him.  But  he 
regards  you  as  capable  of  becoming 
holy  and  blessed  as  the  angels  of  God. 
Nay,  he  can  raise  you  higher  than  the 
archangels,  if  he  can  but  get  posses- 
sion of  your  heart  —  a  full  and  un- 
disputed entrance  there. 


WITAT  BEOUGHT  EIM  ?  9 

He  knows  as  yoii  can  not,  your  need 
of  him.  Without  him  you  can  never 
answer  for  one  sin  to  God's  justice. 
Apart  from  him  your  condition  is 
fearful ;  and  nothing  more  fearful 
about  it  than  your  ignorance  of  it, 
and  carelessness.  God  indeed  for- 
gives sin ;  but  it  is  only  the  peni- 
tent believer  whom  he  forgives.  God 
adopts  the  children  of  Adam  into  his 
family  ;  but  it  is  only  "  to  them  who 
believe  on  Christ "  that  "  he  gives 
power  to  become  the  sons  of  God  " 
(John  i.  12).  God  hears  prayer.  But 
prayer,  to  be  accepted,  must  bo  of- 
fered in  the  name  of  his  Son,  by  one 
who  has  faith  in  that  Son ;  that  is, 
who  has  admitted  him  into  the  heart. 


10  THE    WAITING   SAVIOUR 

It  is  said  :  "  There  is  therefore  now  no 
condemnation  to  them  that  are  in 
Christ  Jesus."  This  phi^ase,  so  fre- 
quently used  in  the  New  Testament, 
means  the  same  thing  as  Christ's  be- 
ing in  us.  Both  describe  a  nearness 
to  the  Lord  and  Saviour,  —  a  union 
with  him  so  intimate  that  it  requires 
both  forms  of  expression  to  set  it 
forth.  At  one  time  the  expression  is 
used — "Christ  in  you  the  hope  of 
glory."  At  another,  Christ  compares 
himself  to  the  vine,  and  believers  to 
the  branches ;  and  says,  "  If  a  man 
abide  not  in  me,  he  is  cast  forth  as  a 
branch,  and  is  withered  ;  and  men 
gather  them,  and  cast  them  into  the 
fire,  and  they  are  burned." 


WHAT  BROUGHT  HIM?  11 

We  need  Christ  while  we  are  liv- 
ing, and  we  shall  need  him  when  dy- 
ing. He  alone  can  enable  ns  to  con- 
quer death,  and  to  exclaim,  with  the 
apostle,  "  Thanks  be  to  God,  who 
giveth  us  the  victory  through  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

We  shall  need  him  to  introduce  us 
to  the  lieavenly  mansions,  and  to 
uphold  us  in  our  blissful  estate  there 
for  ever. 

Now  he  knows  all  this.  He  sees 
that  without  him  we  are  lost ;  earth 
has  no  remedy  for  our  soul-sickness, 
—  neither  man  nor  angel  can  help  us 
in  the  matters  between  our  souls  and 
our  God.  "  There  is  no  other  name  un- 
der heaven  given  among  men,  where- 


12  THE    WAITING   SAVIOUR. 

by  we  must  be  saved."  He  looks 
upon  us  with  a  compassion  that  knows 
no  bounds.  It  has  cost  him  a  life  of 
humiliation  and  contempt,  suffering 
and  death ;  and  yet  he  spared  not 
himself. 

Herein  is  love  —  love  that  surprises 
heaven,  that  amazes  hell.  And  yet 
man  alone  is  insensible  to  it,  when 
ho  himself  is  the  object  of  it.  Noth- 
ing brings  that  king  to  the  beggar's 
door  but  the  desire  to  benefit  him. 
Jesus  sees  all  the  consequences  if  he 
does  not  take  possession  of  your  heart. 
This  brings  him  there  ;  tliis  has  kept 
hull  there  for  years,  constantly  knoclc- 
ing,  patiently  waiting  for  admittance. 

But  his  love  is  more  than  compas- 


WHAT  BROUGHT  HIM?  13 

sion.     He  also  j^mes  our  love.     Tins 
is  a  truth  of  wliicli  we  hear  little  said 
in  our  poor  unbelieving  world  ;  but 
a  truth  full  of  the  inspiration  of  .hope 
to  every  one  who  really  desires  to  be 
delivered  from  the  power  of  sin,  to 
become  holy,  and  to  be  an  inhabitant 
of  the  celestial  country   over  which 
God  will  eternally  reign. 

He  prizes  our  love.    Hence  we  see 
that  all  our  duty  is   summed  up  in 
lovmg  him.     Men  often  complain  of 
the  requirements   of    God  as   being 
unreasonable,  of  his  law  as  being  ex- 
acting and  severe.     But  what  does  it 
require  ?    He  who  made  it  declares 
that  it  can  all  be  stated  in  one  word, 
—  love.     But  we  are  not  attempting 


14  THE    WAITING  SAVIOUR. 

to  vindicate  tho  law.  It  is  ratlier  to 
show  that  when  God  makes  our  wholo 
duty,  all  that  he  desires  and  requires 
of  us,  to  consist  in  loving  him,  he 
shows  two  things,  —  that  he  prizes 
our  love  above  everything  we  can  be 
or  do  ;  and  that  he  created  us  for 
that  very  purpose.  He  prizes  our  love 
and  companionship.  Yf  e  may  see  it 
illustrated  faintly  in  the  love  of  a 
very  eminent  man  for  his  little  lisp- 
ing child.  In  many  things  that  child 
can  not  entertain  him,  can  have  no 
sympathy  with  him.  Yet  that  child 
can  strike  a  deeper  chord  in  that 
man's  heart  than  the  most  cultivated 
of  all  the  friends  that  meet  around 
his  board.     So  Jesus  delights  in  our 


WRAT  BROUGHT  HIM?  15 

love  ;  so  he  is  grieved  at  the  withhold- 
ing it  from  him.  Some  of  the  teii- 
derest  strains  in  the  Old  Testament 
are  the  expressions  of  God's  grief 
that  his  people  withheld  their  love 
and  confidence  from  him. 

Indeed,  his  calling  himself  our  Fa- 
ther exhibits  this  very  point.  And 
there  is  nothing  more  powerfully 
adapted  to  bring  our  sinful  hearts  to 
repentance,  than  to  discover  that 
every  moment  we  have  lived  in  care- 
lessness and  unbelief  we  have  been 
grieving  the  tender  heart  of  our  God 
and  Saviour  by  disregarding  his  desire 
to  be  loved  by  us,  and  to  have  com- 
munion with  us. 

When  the  prodigal    son   left  his 


16  THE    WAITIXa  SAVIOUR. 

father's  house,  he  was  filled  with  his 
own  projects,  and  had  no  thought, 
we  may  suppose,  of  the  pang  he  was 
impartmg  to  that  parental  heart.  So 
men,  by  nature  the  children  of  God, 
have  generally  no  conception  of  the 
wrong  they  are  doing  to  their  heav- 
enly Father  by  living  days  and  years 
upon  his  bounty,  and  jQi  turning  en- 
tirely away  from  him,  —  making  the 
moral  distance  as  great  as  it  is  pos- 
sible, by  banishing  him  from  their 
thoughts,  their  affections,  their  plans, 
their  joys  and  sorrows  and  converse. 
Jesus  loves  us  ;  and  that  is  a  love, 
he  knows,  of  more  value  to  us  than  all 
the  treasures  of  the  earth  and  all  tln> 
planets,  than  the  favor  of  men  and  ai? 


WHY  DOES  HE  KNOCK?  17 

gels  all  combined  together.  He  stands 
and  knocks  at  the  door  because  he 
loves  us,  and  deskes  to  be  in  such 
fellowship  with  us  as  is  suitable  to 
his  nature  and  ours,  and  to  the  dif- 
ferences in  our  capacities.  But  it 
may  still  be  asked  — 

WHY   DOES    HE   KNOCK? 

It  is  because  we  are  unwilling  to 
admit  him ;  and  yet  he  never  will  force 
his  way  in.  That  great  act  of  faith 
which  is  here  represented  by  opening 
the  door  to  Christ,  and  hj  a  great 
variety  of  figures  elsewhere  in  the 
Scriptures,  is  purely  a  free,  voluntary 
act  of  the  human  spirit.  If  ever  man 
is  free,  it  is  in  receiving  and  in  reject- 


18  THE    WAITIXO   SAVIOUR. 

ing  Christ.  To  accept  him  in  all  the 
blessed  fullness  of  his  grace  is  an  act 
to  which  tlic  entire  spirit  must  con- 
sent. There  must  be  no  reservations, 
no  questionings  whether  it  is  better 
to  receive  him;  his  heart  must  act 
with  its  fullest  approbation  and  pref- 
erence. 

Therefore,  so  long  as  there  is  any 
holding  back,  any  hesitation,  any  re- 
luctance, he  stands  knockhig.  All 
this  is  vividly  illustrated  in  the  young 
magistrate  who  came  running  to  the 
Saviour  to  have  his  hopes  of  salva- 
tion confirmed.  Jesus  knocked  at 
the  door.  The  man  thought  he  was 
willing  to  receive  the  prophet  of  God, 
as  he  considered   him,  but   he  was 


HOW  DOES  HE  KNOCK?  19 

under  a  misappreliension.  He  was 
willing  to  do  many  things  for  the  sake 
of  heaven,  but  not  to  receive  Christ. 
Hence  the  Saviour  did  not  enter  his 
heart.  He  knocked  for  admission. 
And  when  the  young  man  found  that 
to  let  Christ  in  was  to  turn  the  world 
out,  he  also  discovered  that  he  was 
not  willing  to  receive  Christ.  And 
until  he  should  be,  the  Lord  would 
not  enter,  but  simply  knock. 

HOW   DOES    HE   KNOCK? 

This  part  of  the  figurative  descrip- 
tion is  intended  to  represent  all  the 
appeals  and  influences  by  which  our 
minds  and  hearts  are  moved  to  think 
of  God ;  of  our  spiritual  welfare ;  of 


20  THE    WAITING  SAVIOUR. 

our  eternal  destiny ;  of  our  duty  to 
God,  our  sins  and  our  Saviour. 

We  have  an  inward  ear  that  can 
hear  these  appeals.  We  call  it  con- 
science, when  duty  and  sin  are  urged 
upon  us.  And  we  may  properly  al- 
ways consider  it  as  the  hand  of  Christ 
knocking  at  the  door,  when  our  con- 
sciences are  aroused  to  contemplate 
our  sins,  our  guilt,  our  impending 
doom,  our  duty  to  flee  to  Christ.  We 
hear  him  knocking  when  our  hearts 
are  stirred  with  ingenuous  grief  at 
the  remembrance  of  our  treatment  of 
our  heavenly  Father  and  Redeemer  ; 
when  holiness  appears  lovely,  and 
heaven  desirable.  In  such  moments, 
whether  in  the  midst  of  prosperity 


MOW  DOES  EE  K2^0CK  ?  21 

or  bereavement,  whether  hearing  or 
reading  the  Word  of  God,  wherever 
it  may  be,  we  may  properly  bend  our 
ear  and  listen  to  that  gentle  hand 
that  was  pierced  for  our  sins.  It  is 
striking  at  the  door  of  our  humble 
dwelling.  We  may  at  such  moments 
listen  to  the  gentle  voice  of  Him  who 
poured  out  his  last  prayer  for  the 
forgiveness  of  his  murderers.  It  is 
Jesus  knocking,  Jesus  calling,  Jesus 
asking  for  admittance  to  our  hearts. 
When  the  world  has  revealed  its 
emptiness  and  vanity  ;  when  its  bro- 
ken promises  have  left  us  bankrupt ; 
when  our  life-schemes  are  blasted  ; 
when  liopes  lie  like  withered  flowers 
at  our  feet ;   when  we  return  back 


22  THE    WAITING   SAVIOUR. 

upon  ourselves,  wearied,  disappoint- 
ed, discouraged  ;  when  all  behind  us 
seems  but  a  distempered  dream,  and 
all  before  us  a  dreary  waste  —  Jesus 
is  knocking.  If  you  listen,  you  will 
hear  that  divine  voice  saying  : 
"  Come  unto  me,  weary  and  heavy 
laden  :  I  will  give  you  rest.  If  any 
man  drink  of  this  water,  he  shall 
thirst  again  ;  but  he  that  drinketh  of 
the  water  that  I  will  give  him,  shall 
never  thirst." 

We  have  witnessed  this  affecting 
spectacle :  A  mother  who  had  ever 
kept  her  heart  closed  against  the  Sa- 
viour, but  had  opened  it  wholly  to  a 
little  precious  jewel  he  had  committed 
to  her   care,  one   day  received   the 


HO  IF  DOES  HE  KXOCK  ?  23 

vaessage  that  he  was  about  to  send 
for  it.  Instead  of  thankfulness  that 
he  had  lent  it  so  long,  her  heart  rose 
up  in  bitter  hostility.  And  when  at 
length  one  came  and  took  it  from  her, 
she  gave  herself  up  entirely  to  grief 
and  despondency.  Jesus  sent  for  the 
jewel  for  a  twofold  purpose  :  He 
intended  to  put  it  in  safe  keeping; 
and  he  was  seeking  to  lead  her  to  give 
him  the  supreme  place  in  her  heart. 
It  was  most  affecting  to  look  on  the 
whole  scene,  and  observe  the  King  of 
heaven  standing  at  that  door  knock- 
ing ;  to  hear  him  calling  on  her  to 
admit  him  ;  and  then  to  see  her  re- 
fusing even  to  recognize  his  knock  or 
his  call,  wholly  absorbed  in  her  own 


24  THE    WAITING  SAVIOUR. 

loss,  and  murmuring  at  tlie  arbitra- 
riness and  cruelty  of  God. 

WHY  DO  WE  KEEP  IIIM  THUS  WAITING  ? 

Every  one  that  does  it  has  his  own 
reason.  And  yet  they  all  may  be  re- 
duced to  one  or  two  reasons  ;  some 
arc  unwilling  to  be  saved  by  Christ, 
and  others  are  unwilling  to  be  saved 
at  all.  What !  you  exclaim,  is  there 
any  human  being  unwilling  to  be 
saved  ?  Yes,  millions  of  such  are 
to  be  found.  Where  ?  Here  —  ev- 
erywhere where  men  are  to  be  found. 

This  must  be  looked  into  more 
closely ;  because  it  may  lead  many 
to  discover  a  fatal  misapprehension 
on  this  subject  very  commonly  enter- 


WHY  DO  WE  KEEP  HIM  WAITING?      25 

tained.  Being  unwilling  to  be  lost 
is  not  the  same  thing  as  being  willing 
to  be  saved.  This  becomes  plain  and 
evident  if  you  bring  it  to  the  test  of 
ordinary  life.  No  spendthrift  can  be 
found  who  is  not  unwilling  to  become 
poor.  But  every  one  of  them  is 
equally  far  from  willing  to  be  saved 
from  poverty  by  living  within  his  in- 
come. The  drunkard  is  unwilling 
to  die  by  the  agonies  of  delirium  tre- 
mens ;  yet  he  is  equally  unwilling  to 
be  saved  from  it  by  abstaining  from 
intoxicating  liquors.  So  many  are 
unwilling  to  lose  their  souls,  who 
are  equally  unwilling  to  lose  their 
sins.  As  soon  as  it  is  perceived  that 
Christ  wishes  to  enter  our  hearts  in 


26  THE    WAITING   SAVIOUR. 

order  to  make  us  lioly,  the  doors  are 
shut  ill  his  face  by  the  majority.  He 
declares  that  without  holiness  no 
man  can  see  the  Lord.  But  holiness 
is  the  opposite  of  our  pride  and  sel- 
fishness and  covetousness,  envy,  sen- 
suality, and  love  of  the  world.  The 
road  to  destruction,  Jesus  declares, 
is  broad  ;  and  the  multitude  are 
walking  in  it,  because  they  prefer  it 
to  the  narrow  path  that  leads  to  life 
eternal. 

Header,  deal  honestly  with  thyself 
hero.  This  is  the  pinch  of  the  sub- 
ject. This  is  the  turning-point.  These 
pages  were  written  with  a  prayer  for 
thy  soul's  salvation  ;  with  earnest 
supplication   that    they   might    lead 


WHY  DO  WE  KEEP  HIM  WAITING  ?      27 

each  one  of  you  to  Christ  and  heaven. 
And  here  wo  reach  tlie  point  that 
decides  the  destiny  of  the  greater 
part  of  mankind. 

You  live,  as  it  were,  in  a  house 
with  many  apartments.  You  have 
furnished  it  to  suit  yourself.  You 
have  entertained  such  guests  as  suited 
your  taste.  You  have  lived  con- 
stantly in  some  apartments,  and  left 
others  to  mold  and  dust  and  spiders. 
Some  people  live  altogether  in  the 
upper  chambers  ;  some  in  the  cellar; 
and  some  seem  to  have  made  a  sub- 
cellar,  where  they  and  the  beasts 
may  herd  togetlicr.  Some  live  on 
the  sunny  side  of  the  house,  some  on 
the  shady  side.     Some  frequently  go 


28  THE    WAITING  SAVIOUR. 

up  to  the  observatory  on  the  roof, 
whence  they  get  a  sight  of  high 
things,  and  can  bchokl  objects  afar 
off.  They  see  the  cross  from  their 
window,  and  the  mercy-scat  and  the 
judgment-scat,  and  heaven  and  hell. 
There  thej  get  a  glimpse  of  God  and 
Christ  and  the  innumerable  company 
of  angels.  OUicrs  have  never  trod- 
den a  foot  within  this  hallowed  room. 
Now  when  Christ  enters  a  house 
by  the  invitation  of  the  tenant,  a 
complete  revolution  takes  place.  He 
could  not  live  in  it  as  it  was.  There 
must  be  a  new  order  of  things.  ''  Old 
things  are  passed  away,  and  all  things 
are  become  new."  Much  of  the  fur- 
niture must  be  changed.    Some  cham- 


WSY  DO  WE  KEEP  HIM  WAIThVG  ?      29 

bers  must  be  opened  to  the  air  and 
sunlight  that  have  never  been  opened 
before  since  they  were  built.  Old 
guests  must  cease  their  visits,  and 
new  ones  be  entertained.  Some  of 
the  old  servants  must  be  dismissed, 
and  new  ones  introduced. 

Now  men  are  naturally  averse  to 
revolutions  and  changes,  and  it  is 
not  a  bad  trait  in  human  nature ; 
but,  like  every  other  good  thing,  it 
becomes  an  evil  when  it  is  used  out 
of  its  place.  And  it  is  the  sum  of 
evils  when  it  makes  us  cling  to  what 
is  bad,  and  repulse  what  is  good. 
And  this  it  is  keeps  Christ  out  of 
many  a  heart,  —  the  aversion  to  the 
changes  he  requires. 


30  TUE    WAITING   SAVIOUR. 

WnAT   AEE  THESE   CHANGES? 

The  thoughts  must  be  clianged. 
"  I  liatc  vain  thoughts,  but  thy  law 
do  I  love,"  was  said  by  one  who  had 
made  this  great  change.  He  found 
out  liow  hateful,  how  dangerous  they 
are,  how  offensive  to  Christ.  Here, 
for  instance,  is  a  person  who  sits 
down  and  thinks  over  what  he  is  and 
what  he  has  that  fosters  his  self-con- 
ceit. He  has  a  mirror  in  one  of  his 
chambers  that  reflects  his  person  in 
an  attractive  form.  That  chamber 
he  frequently  visits,  and  tliere  gazes 
with  admiration  on  his  person,  his 
hair,  his  eyes,  his  teeth,  his  figure, 
his  dress,  until  he  is  filled  with  ad- 
miration.     Or   this   magical   mirroi 


WBAT  AliE    THESE   CHANGES?        31 

reflects  bis  possessions,  his  connec- 
tions, his  talents,  and  the  admiration 
of  others  he  has  excited. 

Now  if  Christ  comes  to  dwell  there, 
he  will  order  that  mirror  to  be  brok- 
en, like  Aaron's  golden  calf,  into 
fragments  —  ground  to  powder,  and 
thrown  into  the  sea ;  and  for  it  he 
will  substitute  God's  mirror,  that 
never  flatters,  never  deceives,  but 
reveals  every  deformity  and  defect. 
Thus  he  destroys  vanity  and  pride. 
Thus  he  cherishes  that  lowliness, 
meekness,  and  humility  which,  in  his 
eyes,  are  the  real  adornments  of  our 
nature. 

These  are  the  thoughts  that  cher- 
ish ambition.     Napoleon   Bonaparte 


32  THE    WAITING  SAVIOUR. 

sat  in  his  chamber,  and  visions  float- 
ed through  his  brain  representing 
him  as  crowned  monarch  of  an  em- 
pire broader  than  that  of  the  Cas- 
sars.  If  Napoleon  had  opened  his 
heart  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  he 
would  have  banished  those  thoughts 
as  meteors  luring  him  to  destruc- 
tion. Christ  would  have  showed  him 
a  nation  blessed  by  his  powerful 
mind,  with  common  schools,  industry, 
peace,  Christian  instruction,  and  the 
world  rejoicing  to  hail  his  country  as 
the  model  nation  of  the  world. 

Some  persons  sit  and  brood  over 
their  trials  and  the  inconveniences  of 
their  position  in  society,  and  of  their 
occupation ;  thus  constantly  increas- 


WHAT  ABE    THESE   CHANGES?         33 

ing  the  sourness  of  their  dispositions. 
Others  indulge  in  thoughts  that 
nourish  their  hatred,  or  their  envy, 
or  their  revenge.  Others  live  in  a 
world  of  dreams,  cherished  by  fool- 
ish books  and  plays,  and  by  gossip. 
But  wherever  Christ  enters,  he 
changes  all  that,  and  introduces 
entirely  new  trains  of  thought.  The 
Word  of  God  then  becomes  the  lead- 
ing book  in  the  house  ;  and  the 
thoughts  about  Qs^ery  subject  take 
their  direction  from  it. 

He  produces  another  class  of 
changes.  It  is,  in  the  feelings  in- 
dulged. Instead  of  trusting  the 
promises  that  the  world  gives,  to 
make  us  happy  if  we  will  only  serve 


34  THE    WAITING  SAVIOUR. 

it,  lie  leads  us  to  distrust  the  world, 
and  trust  God.  In  place  of  discon- 
tent he  brings  contentment  with  God's 
treatment  of  us.  Instead  of  pride  he 
brings  humility.  Instead  of  envy 
and  revenge  and  jealousy  and  .  riv- 
alry and  indifference  toward  our 
fellow-men,  he  brings  love,  compas- 
sion, gentleness,  meekness.  Instead 
'  of  zeal  for  worldly  good  and  honor, 
he  brings  zeal  for  God's  honor  and 
men's  salvation.  Instead  of  hoping 
for  much  in  this  world,  he  gives  us 
the  hope  of  heaven. 

Then  there  is  yet  another  class  of 
changes  produced  by  his  entrance 
into  the  heart.  The  whole  encl^  ob- 
jecty  and  purpose  of  life  are  rcvolu- 


WHAT  ARE   THESE    CHANGES?         35 

lionized.  Instead  of  living  for  self 
and  for  worldly  good,  the  purpose  is 
formed  and  fixed  to  live  to  honor 
God  and  bless  mankind.  Instead  of 
living  to  lay  up  treasures  on  earth, 
or  to  enjoy  the  world,  the  purpose  is 
fixed  to  lay  up  treasures  in  heaven, 
and  to  make  this  life  the  time  of 
labor,  that  there  may  remain  a  rest 
for  us  after  death. 

Where  Christ  is  the  honored  guest, 
a  deep  sense  of  responsibility  to  God 
is  cherished  ;  there  is  a  reverence  for 
man,  as  made  in  the  image  of  God ; 
an  abhorrence  of  the  selfishness  and 
pride  into  which  he  has  been  seduced ; 
and  an  earnest  desire  to  have  him 
turn  out  his  wicked  guests  and  re- 


36  TUE    WAITING   SAVIOUR. 

ceive  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Conse- 
quently, a  new  set  of  guests  are  en- 
tertained in  that  house  ;  a  new  style 
of  living  and  conversing  is  found 
there.  Prayer  and  praise,  and  do- 
ing good  to  others,  come  to  be  very 
prominent  occupations.  Old  com- 
panions gradually  drop  oIT,  from  a 
want   of  congeniality. 

Now  here  is  the  first  reason  we 
assign  for  Christ's  being  kept  at  tlie 
door  knocking,  —  an  unwillingness 
to  be  saved  by  liim,  because  that  is 
his  way  of  saving  us.  lie  does  not 
merely  blot  out  our  past  iniquities 
and  save  us  from  the  consequences 
of  former  sins :  he  also  saves  us  from 
i\\Q  poiccr  of  sin,  from  the  very  forms 


WHAT  An E    THESE    CHANGES?         87 

of  sinful,   godless   living   that   have 
most  satisfied  us. 

With  many  and  many  a  heart  the 
last  silly  romance,  the  newly-arrived 
mountebank,  has  an  enthusiastic  wel- 
come, while  the  Son  of  God,  the  Sa- 
viour of  the  soul,  is  kept  waiting  and 
knocking  at  the  door  in  vain. 

Now  it  is  this  that  justifies  the  re- 
mark :  people  generally  are  unwilling 
to  be  saved.  And,  besides,  many  are 
unwilling  to  be  saved  by  Christ. 

And  that  probably  sounds  still  more 
strangely  than  the  other  assertion. 
But  it  can  be  proved  just  as  clearly. 

It  was  announced  centuries  before 
Christ  appeared  that  he  was  coming, 
and  that  he  would  be  "  despised  and 


38  THE    WAITING   SAVIOUR. 

rejected  of  men."  To  see  the  reason 
of  this  we  must  look  at  the  different 
classes  of  persons  who  keep  him 
knockhig  at  the  door. 

The  speculative  mind  can  not  rea- 
son Christ  out  by  any  process  of 
reason  it  has  yet  discovered,  and  is 
determined  never  to  believe  in  him 
until  his  existence  and  his  doctrines 
are  demonstrated  to  be  true.  He 
never  found  the  fragrance  of  a  rose, 
the  beauty  of  a  landscape,  the  joys 
of  friendship  by  this  process.  But 
he  is  determined  that  if  Christ  en- 
ters his  heart  it  sliall  be  by  that  door, 
and  that  alone.  lie  must  reason  him- 
self into  piety. 

There   is   another   class  of  minds 


WITAT  AEE    THESE   CHANGES  ?        39 

we   may   denominate   the   sensuous. 
All  tliat  is   said  about  religion  and 
Christ,   heaven   and  hell,   seems  to 
them  to  be  far  off,  intangible,  vague 
and  uncertain.     If  they  could  see  a 
vision,  or  hear  the  seven  thunders  of 
the  judgment  rolling,  see  Christ  on 
the  cross  or  Christ  at  the  door,  they 
might  attach  some  importance  to  the 
subject.    But,  with  them,  the  unseen 
is  the  unreal.     They  never  saw  Pe- 
king, but  they  believe  there  is  such  a 
city  ;  never  saw  a  pestilence,  but  be- 
lieve there   is   such   a  thing.     And 
yet,  when   it   comes  to  Christ,  they 
are  determined  not  to  open  the  heart 
to  him,  because  their  bodily  eyes  do 
not  behold  him. 


40  THE    WAITING  SAVIOUR. 

The  self-righteous  keep  Christ  out 
of  their  hearts,  because  they  are  un- 
willing to  be  saved  on  his  terms.  The 
Jews  shut  their  hearts  against  him, 
because  they  said,  "  If  we  are  to  be 
saved  by  Christ,  then  there  is  an  end 
to  all  our  boasted  superiority  to  other 
people.  It  is  nothing  tliat  we  were 
born  of  Abraham,  nothing  that  we 
have  been  circumcised,  nothing  that 
we  have  offered  sacrifices  and  paid 
tithes."  That  is  too  hard  a  doctrine. 
And  others  besides  the  Jews  have 
the  same  difficulties  in  another  form. 
Christ  saves  only  lost  sinners,  and 
saves  them  all  on  the  same  level. 
The  best  deserve  to  bo  damned. 
"  This  is  a  hard  saying."     But  it  is 


WHAT  AI?E    THESE    CHANGES?         41 

therefore,  Jesus  says,  that  the  most 
abandoned  people  would  enter  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  before  those  peo- 
ple who  think  themselves  good.  The 
beggar  by  the  wayside  gets  the  bless- 
ing which  the  nobleman  in  his  palace 
misses.  The  self-righteous  keep 
Christ  knocking  at  the  door.  So, 
also,  do  the  formalists  —  people  who 
care  more  for  ceremonies  than  for 
Christ.  The  Saviour  comes  into  the 
heart,  not  by  the  priest,  the  church, 
the  sacraments,  but  by  the  door  of 
faith.  We  need  not  go  up  nor  down, 
across  the,  sea,  or  across  the  street,  to 
find  a  Saviour.  We  need  no  holy 
water,  nor  holy  man,  nor  holy  build- 
ing ;  we  need  nothing  but  just  what 


42  THE    WAITING   SAVIOUR. 

Christ  here  mentions  —  hearken  to 
his  voice,  and  open  the  door,  and  he 
will  come  in.  Then  we  have  what 
all  the  churches  and  priests,  from 
Aaron  downward,  can  not  give  us. 
Nothing  can  be  more  contrary  to  the 
teachings  of  the  Saviour,  nothing 
more  sure  to  keep  the  door  of  the 
heart  shut  against  him,  than  the  no- 
tion that  for  the  soul's  salvation  we 
need  any  other  aid  of  man  than  to 
repeat  Christ's  words,  and  to  pray 
for  us.  Time  and  place  and  sur- 
rounding objects  have  nothing  to  do 
with  Christ's  entering  the  heart. 
But  superstitious  persons,  unwilling 
really  to  be  saved  by  him,  and  in  his 
way,   do   a  multitude    of  things   to 


WHAT  ARE    THESE    CHANGES?         43 

drown  liis  voice  and  his  knocking?, 
so  that  they  shall  think  they  are  do- 
ing some  great  thing  toward  saving 
their  souls,  while,  in  fact,  they  are 
simply  keeping  Christ  out  of  the 
heart,  and  preventing  themselves 
from  hearing  him.  Hence  it  is  not 
wonderful  that  they  want  a  great 
deal  of  smoke  and  noise  and  move- 
ment. The  eye,  the  ear,  the  imagi- 
nation must  be  kept  constantly  excited 
with  something  agreeable,  that  they 
may  persuade  themselves  they  really 
are  religious,  and  are  accomplishing 
much  for  their  soul's  benefit. 

There  is  another  class,  the  fro  ward, 
who  are  unwilling  to  be  saved  by 
Christ  because  he  declares  they  must 


44  THE    WAITING  SAVIOUR. 

wear  his  cross  openly,  and  not  be 
ashamed  of  him  among  his  enemies. 
If  Christ  comes  into  the  heart,  Satan 
will  find  it  out,  and  make  a  great 
ado.  The  scoffers  will  know  it ;  re- 
spectable people  of  the  world  will 
know  it ;  the  members  of  the  family, 
ungodly  companions  will  know  it, 
and  think  it  a  sign  of  weakness  to  let 
Christ  enter  the  heart,  or  to  pretend 
to  have  received  salvation  from  him. 
Rather  than  encounter  that  they  would 
have  him  remain  outside  knocking. 

Then  there  is  another  class,  differ 
ing  from  all  these,  because  they  arc 
more  serious,  more  earnest,  moire 
willing  to  make  any  sacrifice  Christ 
requires   of  them.     But   their   diffi- 


WHAT  ARE    THESE   CHAJ^GES  ?         45 

culty  is  unbelief.  And  it  seems  not 
to  be  easy  for  everybody  to  under- 
stand what  the  Scriptures  mean  by 
unbelief.  Among  other  things,  it  de- 
scribes a  state  of  the  heart  that 
makes  what  God  says  unreal.  God 
says  that  he  saves  the  undeserving 
and  the  hell-deserving.  But  unbelief 
says,  "  If  I  were  not  so  unworthy  of 
God's  mercy,  if  I  had  not  so  hard  a 
heart, — if  I  had  more  conviction,  I 
could  come  to  Christ.  But  he  can 
not,  or  he  will  not  receive  a  case  like 
mine."  It  is  hard  to  discern  how 
much  pride  lurks  under  that  appar- 
ently modest  covering.  But,  what- 
ever it  is,  it  prevents  the  person  in- 
dulging it  from  rising  to   open  the 


46  THE    WAITING   SAVIOUR. 

door.  Christ  has  said  nothing  about 
deserving  his  favor,  nothing  about 
how  much  conviction  is  necessary. 
He  simply  declares  that  if  any  man 
shall  hearken  to  his  voice,  and  open 
the  door,  he  will  come  in  and  sup 
witli  him.  The  person,  therefore, 
who  does  not  open  the  door,  does  not 
wish  to  be  saved  by  Christ,  whatever 
other  account  he  may  give  of  the 
matter. 

Now,  reader,  if  you  are  beyond  all 
this,  and  arc  willing  to  be  saved,  and 
to  be  saved  by  Christ  — 

WHAT   MUST   YOU    DO    TO    BE   SAVED  ? 

Two  things.  Hearken  and  open 
to   Christ.     You   are   not    to   make 


HEARKEN.  47 

yourself  worthy  of  God's  favor  ;  you 
are  not  to  dispose  him  to  mercy ;  you 
are  not  to  provide  or  find  a  Saviour  ; 
you  are  not  to  be  saved  without  the 
Spirit  of  God,  nor  to  do  his  work  in 
your  heart.  You  are  simply  to 
hearken  to  the  Saviour's  knocking, 
and  open  the  door  to  him.  You  are 
to 

HEAEKEN. 

The  power  of  controlling  the  atten- 
tion is  very  wonderful.  A  hundred 
sounds  may  be  coming  upon  the  ear 
at  once,  but  we  can  choose  to  which 
one  our  attention  shall  be  given. 
This  is  the  difference  between  hear- 
ing and  hearkening.     In  the  din  of 


48  THE    WAITING   SAVIOUR. 

battle  the  soldier  hearkens  to  one 
sound,  the  voice  of  his  commander. 
Amid  the  storm  at  sea,  the  mariner 
listens  not  to  the  howling  tempest 
nor  the  creaking  ropes  and  groaning 
timbers.  His  ear  is  all  intent  to  catch 
his  commander's  word. 

So  must  we  listen  for  the  voice  of 
our  Redeemer.  "  Dead  be  my  ear 
to  every  sound  but  thy  dear  voice, 
0  Christ,  my  Lord  !  "  Hearken  ! 
Turn  away  from  the  Babel-sounds  of 
earth  for  a  time  —  from  the  voice  of 
friendship,  the  voices  of  nature.  Lis- 
ten to  one,  and  one  alone,  the  voice, 
the  knocking  of  the  Redeemer,  who 
has  come  so  far  to  save  your  soul. 

Adam  heard  that  voice,  and  fled 


HEARKEN.  49 

from  it  because  he  had  sinned,  but 
had  not  repented  of  sin.  Felix  heard 
it,  and  carelessly  made  an  appoint- 
ment to  hear  it  again  at  some  indefi- 
nite future  time.  Agrippa  heard  it, 
and  was  almost  persuaded  to  invite 
the  Saviour  in ;  but  he  was  not  yet 
prepared  for  the  change.  The  sacri- 
fice was  too  great.  Probably  he 
never  went  beyond  being  almost  per- 
suaded. These  cases  are  written  for 
our  warning.  They  are  buoys  float- 
ing over  rocks  on  which  others  have 
made  shipwreck  of  their  souls. 

If  you  distinctly  hear  the  knocking 
of  Christ  at  your  door,  then  you  have 
one  other  duty,  —  to  arise  and 


50  THE    WAITING   SAVIOUR. 

OPEN  THE   DOOE. 

This  must  be  an  act  of  your  own 
free  choice.  Whatever  bolts  and  bars 
are  there  to  keep  it  shut,  you  must 
take  out  of  the  way.  You  must 
throw  the  door  wide  open,  and  say, 
"Come  in,  thou  King  of  Glory:  thou 
Saviour  of  my  soul,  come  in.  I  give 
all  up  to  thy  control  and  service. 
Turn  out  what  thou  dost  not  approve. 
Litroduce  what  and  whom  thou  wilt. 
Tliou  art  Master  here ;  all  is  at  thy 
disposal." 

Lest,  then,  this  language  should  be 
too  figurative  for  some  persons,  and 
they  should  inquire  what  is  literally 
intended  by  opening  the  door  to  the 


OP  EX  THE  DO  on.  51 

Saviour,  it  may  be  said  that  he  who 
thus  describes  himself  as  knocking  at 
this  door,  has  said  in  the  same  connec- 
tion, "  I  the  Lord  search  the  heart." 
He  knows  every  thought  of  the  mind 
and  every  decision  of  the  will.  "When, 
then,  any  heart  has  abandoned  all 
selfish  ends  and  plans,  truly  repented 
of  former  disobedience  to  God,  and 
accepts  Christ  as  he  oiTers  himself  to 
be  a  Saviour,  he  is  perfectly  ac- 
quainted with  it  all.  The  door  is 
opened  to  him  the  instant  he  is  truly 
chosen  and  accepted  as  a  Saviour  from 
sin  and  its  consequences.  What, 
then,  does  he  mean  by  the  assurance 
that 


52  THE    WAITING  SAVIOUR. 

HE   WILL   ENTER,   AND   SUP    WITH   US? 

When  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  en- 
ters a  heart,  he  comes  as  a  victorious 
king  into  a  province  which  rebels 
had  withdrawn  from  its  allegiance, — 
as  our  government  entered  Savannah 
by  its  victorious  army.  The  banner 
of  the  king  at  once  floats  from  the 
citadel ;  the  power  of  the  government 
is  at  once  pledged  for  its  protection 
and  defense ;  the  privileges  of  citi- 
zenship are  extended  to  the  inhabi- 
tants. King  Jesus  enters  to  drive 
Satan  and  his  legions  from  the  heart, 
—  those  guests  that  we  could  never 
sake  to  heaven  with  us  ;  a  Christless 
heart  becomes  a  heart  filled  with  the 


HE    WILL  ENTER.  53 

glorious  presence  of  Jesus.  What  a 
change  this  is  !  Self  and  the  world 
are  dethroned.  And  what  a  deliver- 
ance is  this  !  For  self  is  a  hard  mas- 
ter. Its  service  is  the  source  of  un- 
satisfied longings,  foolish  fears,  vain 
expectations,  cruel  disappointments. 
If  Christ  enters,  then  the  soul  has 
found  its  true  priest.  You  must 
have  a  mediator  with  God.  Your 
legal  standing  is  not  good.  You  have 
forfeited  the  right  to  approach  your 
Creator  in  your  own  name.  Your 
house  then  wants  an  altar,  and  a 
heaven-appointed  Priest.  Blood  must 
be  sprinkled  wherever  guilt  has  de- 
filed ;  for  "  without  the  shedding  of 
blood,  there  is  no  remission  of  sin.'* 


54  THE    WAITING   SAVIOUR. 

A  sacrifice  worthy  of  God  must  be 
offered.  "  Behold,  then,  the  Lamb 
of  God  that  taketh  away  the  sin  of 
the  world."  When  Israel  was  in 
Egypt,  the  destroying  angel  that  smote 
to  death  the  first-born  son  in  every 
Egyptian  dwelling  passed  harmless 
by  the  door-post  sprinkled  with  the 
blood  of  the  passover  lamb.  Our 
High  Priest  alone  can  sprinkle  that 
blood  on  our  door-posts. 

When  Christ  enters  the  heart,  he 
comes  as  the  Light  of  the  world,  the 
Prince  of  prophets,  shining  into  our 
darkness,  and  making  us  children  of 
the  light. 

When  Christ  enters  the  heart,  he 
brings  the  peace  of  God  that  passeth 


HE    WILL  ENTER.  55 

all  understanding;  he  brings  the 
Holy  Spirit,  who  transforms  our  spir- 
its, recovering  gradually  the  lost  im- 
age of  God,  and  annulling  the  s.en- 
tence  that  consigned  the  body  to  the 
undying  second  death — pledges  him- 
self to  raise  it  in  glory  and  immor- 
tality at  the  last  day. 

When  Christ  enters  the  heart,  he 
comes  as  the  Head  of  the  church,  to 
introduce  us  into  the  blessed  family 
of  God,  and  shed  abroad  in  our 
hearts  the  spirit  of  adoption,  whereby 
we  call  God  —  Father.  He  comes  as 
a  Friend  and  Brother. 

"  I  will  sup  with  him."  The  Jewish 
Bupper  was  the  important  meal ;  and 
sitting  at  the  table  together  was  the 


56  TEE    WAITING   SAVWUR. 

mark  of  friendship.  But  this  is  full 
of  wonders.  The  King  calls  the  rebel, 
now  penitent,  to  come  and  sit  at  the 
table  with  him  in  friendly  intercourse ; 
and  angels,  who  are  "  sent  forth  to 
minister  for  them  who  shall  be  heirs 
of  salvation,"  wait  upon  the  host  and 
guest.  It  is  wonderful :  the  King 
spreads  the  table  at  his  own  cost. 
He  brings  to  it  such  viands  and  fruits 
and  wines  as  earthly  kings  are  too 
poor  to  furnish.  And  oh^  what 
heavenly  entertainment  it  is !  Once 
Jesus  overtook  two  sad-hearted  men, 
and  joining  them  as  a  stranger, 
walked  on  to  the  village  where  they 
lived.  He  did  not  knock  at  their 
door,  but  was  at  once  invited  to  en 


HE    WILL  ENTER.  57 

ter  and  sit  down  to  supper  with  them. 
All  the  way  along  their  hearts  had 
been  glowing  with  delight  as  he  en- 
tertained them  with  Bible-conversa- 
tion. But  at  the  supper  they  dis- 
covered who  he  was  in  the  breaking 
of  bread.  So  will  he  enter  us,  and 
make  himself  known  to  us  in  the 
breaking  of  bread.  In  a  word,  Christ 
is  made  to  them  that  receive  him 
"  wisdom,  righteousness,  sanctifica- 
tion,  and  redemption."  "  To  as 
many  as  received  him,  to  them  gave 
he  power  to  become  the  sons  of  God." 
Now,  after  reading  this,  which  is 
only  an  exhibition  of  small  portions 
of  what  God's  Word  contains,  the  first 
thing  for  every  reader  to  do,  is  to 


58  THE    WAITING  SAVIOUR. 

answer  this  question,  Is  Christ  within 
the  door  of  my  heart,  or  on  the  out- 
side? If  the  latter,  then  the  next 
duty  is,  to  listen  to  his  voice  and  the 
knocking  of  his  hand.  Do  you  hear 
him  ?  Does  not  the  sound  reverber- 
ate along  every  corridor,  and  through 
every  chamber  of  your  lieart — majes- 
tic, holy,  tender  voice  ?  Yes  ;  it  is 
as  if  a  prisoner  in  his  cell,  condemned 
to  death,  should  hear  the  king  of  the 
country  at  its  door,  asking  if  he  would 
receive  him  within  the  dark  and  nar- 
row enclosure.  No  earthly  king 
would  do  it  for  a  rebel  against  his 
crown.  But  our  heavenly  King  does 
it.  Hear  him,  then,  0  ye  "  prisoners 
of  hope !  "  Hearken  to  his  voice.     It 


EE    WILL   ENTER.  59 

is  the  echo  of  every  blessed  iiiYitation 
of  his  Word.  Turn  away  from  the 
vain  sounds  of  earth,  that  have  be- 
witched you.  Bid  them  all  be  dumb, 
while  you  are  listening  to  that  one 
voice  and  call. 

Then  while   you  hear,  remember 
he  is  standing  at  the  door,  listening 
to  hear  if  any  power  within  you  stirs. 
Conscience,  hast  thou  awaked  to  hear 
your    Sovereign    and    your    Judge? 
Heart,    hast   thou   awaked    to   hear 
him?     Oh,  slumber   not!    oh,  trifle 
not !     He  will  not  keep  that  attitude 
for  ever.     He  has  turned  away  from 
many  a  door,  —  turned  away,  turned 
away  for  ever.   And  if  he  should  turn 
away  from  you,  there  will  come  a 


60  THE    WAITING   SAVIOUR. 

day  when  you  must  hear  that  voice 
again ;  but  with  what  an  altered 
tone !  If  you  would  know  how  it 
can  change  its  tone,  read  his  descrip- 
tion of  the  judgment  scene,  where  he 
will  say  to  those  on  his  right  hand: 
"-  Come,  yp.  blessed  of  my  Father,  in- 
herit the  kingdom  ;  "  and  to  those  on 
his  left  hand :  "  Depart,  ye  cursed, 
into  everlasting  fire." 

He  can  not  for  ever  bear  this  treat- 
ment: He  will  change  his  tone  for 
them  who  keep  him  out  beyond  a 
certain  time  ;  and  then  what  will 
they  do  when  he  comes  as  the  Judge 
of  the  quick  and  the  dead  ?  They  will 
"  call  on  the  rocks  and  mountains  to 


HE    WILL   ENTER.  61 

fall  Oil  them,  and  hide  them  from  tho 
wrath  of  the  Lamb." 

Hearken  then,  this  day,  this  mo- 
ment, to  the  voice  of  his  love.  And, 
as  you  listen,  rise  and  open  the  door, 
exclaiming  :  "  Welcome,  welcome 
dear  Redeemer !  I  am  not  worthy 
that  thou  shouldest  come  under  my 
roof ;  but  if  thou  wilt  deign  to  enter 
so  lowly  a  place,  and  be  content  with 
such  society  as  mine,  come  in ;  thrice 
welcome  !  And  let  all  the  angels  of 
God  and  the  redeemed  in  earth  and 
heaven  shout '  hallelujah  ; '  for  I  this 
hour  have  received  the  Lord  of  Glory 
as  my  Saviour,  King,  and  Brother, 
for  time,  and  for  all  eternity." 


BT 


THE  LIBRARY 
UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNII 

Santa  Barbara 


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